Keystone Utility Systems sees metered growth

Warren Ruda / Staff photographer
Keystone Utility Systems specializes in replacing and upgrading meter systems for water, gas and electric. They work with municipalities and metering companies across the country.

Warren Ruda / Staff Photographer
Christopher Siegel, left, president, and Mike Cutrone, vice president, of Keystone Utility Systems.
The business specializes in replacing and upgrading meter systems for water, gas, and electric. They work with municipalities and metering companies across the country. They are hiring more employees and landing million-dollar contracts, including a contract in Yonkers, N.Y. and one coming soon in Hazleton. Mike Cutrone holds an old meter.

LUZERNE - Christopher Siegel and Mike Cutrone started Keystone Utility Systems in September 2012 with four employees. Since then, the Luzerne-based company has seen 300 percent growth.

The company, which specializes in replacing and upgrading water, gas and electric meter systems, currently employs about 17 workers, including management, office employees and field technicians. Mr. Siegel serves as president and Mr. Cutrone is vice president.

Mr. Cutrone said they plan to hire 20 to 25 employees by mid-February, thanks to landing big contracts to upgrade residents' water meters in Yonkers, N.Y., and to replace more than 15,000 water meters in homes in Hazleton.

New hires will include about 10 union plumbers in Yonkers and three in the local call center, Mr. Cutrone said. At least five plumbers will be hired for the job in Hazleton, three in the local call center and a management position, he said. The jobs are full-time.

Call center and office employees are paid annual salaries ranging from $25,000 to $40,000 while field technicians typically earn $50,000 to more than $100,000 a year.

Keystone Utility Systems has completed work in eight states. Mr. Siegel and Mr. Cutrone expect to see 300 percent growth again next year.

"We're excited about not just this past year, but the year ahead," Mr. Siegel said. "There's a lot of big growth going on."

Mr. Cutrone said the growth they have experienced is encouraging and it is just the "tip of the iceberg."

"I think within three to five years, we will have 50 full-time employees," he said. "That's based on not only the contracts we already have, but the contracts that are in the works."

Keystone Utility Services offers a number of services such as residential and commercial water meter installation, water, gas and electric meter upgrades, meter testing, large scale deployment and management of utility projects nationwide and a call center in Luzerne.

In recent years, Mr. Cutrone said the meter systems field has changed significantly.

Years ago, meter readers visited homes and wrote down readings for bills. Then, they used bar code scanners. Over the last few years, reading meters has become more advanced. Meter readers drive by homes on a select route with a laptop and pick up readings for every home. Hubs on water towers and poles collect data. For 15,000 houses in Hazleton, meter reading may take two days, he said.

"Now, the Flintstones meet the Jetsons. It's all going to advanced meter infrastructure using the Internet," Mr. Cutrone said. "We partner with four or five of the largest producers of these systems in the world and we serve as their contractor. We provide the labor, the management and the call center. We stay within the parameters from set-up to the end."

In addition to the company's headquarters on Parry Street in Luzerne, Keystone Utility Systems has an office just outside Denver, Colo. and will sign a lease next week for a 10,000-square-foot office in Yonkers.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano recently announced that the city is partnering with Mueller Systems to overhaul its aging water meter infrastructure and improve the level of services for residents.

Keystone Utility Systems is working with Mueller Systems. Keystone Utility Systems will install about 30,000 Mueller Systems water meters in Yonkers by the end of 2015.

About four months ago, Keystone Utility Systems won the Hazleton contract which is funded through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure and Investment Authority. The $4 million project involves replacing outdated meters with an automatic meter reading system that allows data to be collected through equipment in vehicles.

A $1.3 million installation fee is being paid to Keystone Utility Systems, which will pay the Hazleton City Authority a $46,965 salvage fee for old meters.

Local people are being hired for the Hazleton job, which will start in February, Mr. Cutrone said.

"This is the first job we have that's local," he said. "It's going to be great that not only our call center and our management level is here local, but now we also have a job local."

Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.comHelp wanted

Luzerne-based Keystone Utility Systems is hiring field technicians with plumbing experience as well as office and call center employees. More information may be found at 877-587-2279 or info@keystoneutilities.com.

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